My Mistake
by JuubiOokami
Summary: “I’m just going to…you know, give it a little try out is all.” “Yeah, that’s what the Colonel said before he blew up the training ground….” Ed steals Roy's glove for a try out. Lucky for Ed, Mustang knows what to do and found out the hard way how to.


**Just a little Plot-Bunnie that would no go away no matter how much I shot at it, set hawks on it, and layed out traps. :D I hope you all enjoy. **

**The story can be whatever you want it to be, either a Roy/Ed, or just a Roy/Parental/Ed. It's up to you. Enjoy.**

**Warning: Bad Spelling.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own, but I do love. The plot bunnie is mine though, really, if you try and take it it will bite you…and not only does it have rabies, it's also not dissimilar to the albino rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. :D**

**-**

Ed grinned as Havoc gave a nervous little laugh.

"Edward, I know you're like…a prodigy Alchemist and all, but is that seriously smart?" the blonde man asked as the boy tugged at the gloves to secure it into place.

Meas Hughes gave out a little chuckle of his own from where he was leaning against Fuery's desk, watching from a safe distance. "I would stop you and all Ed but it would be a mistake to make an enemy of someone in the freak brigade."

"Stop calling us that. And don't worry, I'm not going to steal it." The Fullmetal Alchemist looked at the array at the back of the glove, his mind memorising it, "I'm just going to…you know, give it a little try out is all."

"Yeah, that's what the Colonel said before he blew up the training ground…." Breda was hiding behind his own chair, eyes peering over the top.

"Yeah but Mustang is just a show off."

"Where _is_ the Colonel by the way? Shouldn't he be putting a stop to this?" Fuery was squatting, hands on head, worry written across his face.

"I believe he escaped when he heard that I was coming, so rude." Hughes shook his head, "Besides, I don't think even the great Colonel Mustang could stop Ed now, my question is where's Al?"

"Back in the dorms I think. He was reading something when I left." Ed shrugged and then closed his right eye aiming his hand forward. He gently rubbed the rough glove material between his fingers. Although it was on his automail hand he could tell that the material would slowly start to ware away at someone's skin if they kept it on the whole time, even if the inside was made to be softer. No wonder the Colonel didn't keep it on at all times, it would kill you.

Ed gave out a small hum and then concentrated on the array. "Ready?"

"Noooo."

"Someone save us."

"I didn't want to be cremated."

"Barbeque time."

Ed growled, "Thanks for the support guys." He said with gritted teeth.

"Sorry Major, but you don't exactly install the greatest amount of confidence in us." Havoc shrugged.

"Yeah, I mean at least the Colonel's been doing it for years." Falmon nodded.

"Yeah! Come on! He's like a hero of Ishabal!" Breda reasoned.

"I don't want to die!"

"Shut up Fuery! You're not going to die. Besides, you keep a bucket of water around in such cases anyway, don't you?"

"A bucket of water won't help us if we're all blown up!" Fuery jumped up, panic evident in his face as he made a mad dash for the doorway. Ed grabbed him before he could escape, and pushed him back into a chair.

"Relax will ya? It's fine." Ed assured him, before turning back and raising his arm, aiming. "I've seen the Colonel do it enough times to know how he moves technically, and I understand the theory behind the Alchemy that he uses for it. Although it's not my forte to blow and burn humans, I can do it."

"No, you're right Ed, it's not your forte, it's Roy's." Hughes spoke in a whisper, "But as I said, who am I to try and interfere with anything you Alchemist do, it's all Greek to me."

"Well we do use some Greek for the arrays sometimes." Ed mused, and then shook his head to clear it. "Either way, let's do this."  
"Alright, but I'm not going to be the one to tell the Colonel that you destroyed his office." Hughes shrugged, his tone bright again.

"You're right you won't, we can't talk if you're dead." Havoc said.

"Would you stop saying that I'm going to kill you! God!" Ed fumed, before turning and aiming his fingers out again toward the small target he had made and positioned on Mustang's desk. He narrowed his eyes, the alchemy beginning to work and then he clicked his fingers.

The air crackled and the target burst into flames which immediately subsided. Ed grinned. "See! Easy!" he said with a laugh.

"Wow…he did it." Fuery blinked, "Nice one."

Ed chuckled, and then suddenly felt a shock of panic race down his spine. The flames that had happily died a few moments ago had risen again on the desk. They were slowly munching at the target and paper, growing steadily higher.

He frowned and concentrated on evenly spreading out the oxygen particles in the air again, but the fire just spread with it. Immediately he could feel something gripping his lungs.

'_Don't worry. Don't panic. It's ok.'_

"Uh, someone had better put out those flames before they spread though." He warned with a nervous chuckle, trying with all his might to pretend that he was not worried.

Havoc grabbed the bucket and through it over the flames, for a moment they died out and Ed relaxed. Then a small prickling on the back of his hand warned him that something wasn't right, and that the array was still trying to do it's work. Within seconds the flames had burst back to life and not only that, but they had grown too.

"What the hell!" Havoc threw himself back and crawled to a safe distance. "What's going on? I just poured water on those!"

"…" Ed gazed into the flames, his hand still outstretched and his shining eyes held wide open, the flames reflecting in his golden orbs. "Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen…hydrogen is highly flammable on it's own, and oxygen feeds fire…the array just used electrolysis to separate them and now…"

"Shit! Do something!"

"…"

'_Come on! Stop it! What is wrong with you! Those flames are spreading! Stop them! Come on!'_

"Major!"

"Ed! Come on!" Hughes had got him by the shoulder and was shaking him. "Either get those under control or we have to get out of here and go and get help!"

'…_I can't control it…these flames…they're like animals, hungry, ready to kill. What do I do? What do I do?'_

"Dammit! Someone go and get some help! Immediately!" Hughes ordered as Falman scurried out of the door. Ed could only stare into those flames.

'_Wild.'_

Hughes had let go of him and was running to the other side of the room. "Don't you guys keep a bucket of sand or something in here as well incase this sort of thing happens?"

"The water tends to work! The Colonel's never done anything like this. The most he ever did was accidentally set a chair on fire once when Falmon accidentally let off his gun inside."

"…I don't remember him telling me about that." Hughes stopped moving and looked over to where Havoc was pulling the desks away from the burning one.

"He wouldn't, I think it kind of embarrassed him. He was asleep at the time and Falmon was just trying to fix his trigger when he set the gun off and shot it up at the ceiling. The Colonel woke in a panic, and set the chair in-front of him on fire instantly."

"…I see. Come, help me move this desk. Ed! Come on! Snap out of it! We need help!"

'_Wild flames… I can't control them. They're going to eat everything. They're going to…'_

"Shit it's spreading. Come on Falmon hurry up and get help! Jeez where the hell is Roy when you need him?"

"Fuery, come over here and help me shift this table." Breda ordered.

"Coming! I just spoke to the fire squad downstairs. They should be here in a minute."

"Yeah, if we last a minute. ED! COME ON! MOVE!"

But the Fullmetal Alchemist couldn't move. His legs were stuck in place, his hand still outstretched toward the flames, the array doing its work oblivious to any master that was supposed to be controlling it's actions.

"ED-" Hughes was cut of.

"-What the hell happened?!"

"Quick! The flames are huge!" the sounds of lots of voice rushed into the room. The Fire Control Squad had just apparently arrived, and Falman had returned as well, his voice clear in the hubbub as he made exclamations about the progress of the fire.

It was huge.

"Hurry! Get the water-"

"-No! Not water! It makes it worse! Get sand! Now!"

"Where the hell are we meant to find sand?!"

"I don't know! I don't care! Find something else! Anything! Hurry!"

It was pointless. Surely everyone could see that. The fire had gotten a hold of the walls themselves. These flames were not ordinary; they could burn in the air. They could destroy everything, eat everything and would leave nothing.

'_I can't control them…like animals…I can't…__they're going to…I'm going to di-'_

"Concentrate." A hand took his outstretched one, a large hand. Long fingers rapped around Ed's own as the hand's palm pressed against the array on the back of the glove. Mustang placed his head on Ed's shoulder, other hand on his other arm, and he spoke again, his voice calm and quiet. "Concentrate."

"-I can't-" Ed gulped.

"Concentrate."

"…Ugh- they're going to eat everything…they're going to-"

"Don't panic, breath." His voice was so even, soft and assuring that Ed managed to take in a large lung full of air on its commandment.

"Good. Don't panic."

"H-How…the Alchemy isn't working…What do I do…I don't understand how I can't control the fire."

"The alchemy creates a mean for flames. It doesn't create fire. Fire is not a substance, but energy. It's alive. You have to be careful with it, because it's never either your friend or your foe. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes."

"Alright. So now you have fire you have to take back what you used to create the flame."

Mustang's hand tightened around his own, his grip firm, but gentle. "Concentrate."

Ed narrowed his eyes and breathed, and then slowly he felt it. The burning hydrogen and oxygen was at his bidding. He pushed out his alchemaic command and the two reacted together to make water. Instantly the flames lessoned without their fuel, and then it was just a matter of slowly taking away the energy that caused the particles to move and create the appropriate amount of heat.

"Good." Roy encouraged in his ear, "Just take it slow."

The flames slowly lessoned, and then disappeared completely with a small roar of defiance as Ed closed his hand and tore away the reaction.

A long silence issued and then the blonde boy slowly gave out a long sigh and bowed his head. He felt energy drained, all his concentration used on controlling the flames. He had never realised that it was that taxing.

Slowly Mustang moved his hand forward and pealed the glove from his hand, but did not let Ed go.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah…" He breathed with a small nod as slowly the Flame Alchemist let him go. Unfortunately Ed had not realised how much support the man had been giving him until his knee's buckled under his own weight and his arm dropped exhausted from the strain of having to hold it up for so long. However, before he could hit the ground full force Mustang had hold of him by both arms and was once more holding him up. Slowly the man lowered the boy to the floor, allowing him to kneel, his body aching and shaking from the fatigued adrenalin that was running through him.

"Breath. It's over." Roy loosened his grip as he eased the boy into a sitting position, his movement gentile. He patted the Elric on the shoulder and turned away.

Ed gave out another long breath and bowed his head again, relief pouring through him. It was over, it really was over.

"You can all go now." Mustang's voice seemed to speak from far away.

"But we were told there was a fire-"

"-Can you see a fire anywhere?"

"…No, but what about the damages to the wall, surely they-"

"-As I said; you can go. Thank you for your hard work."

There was a small mumble and exchange of words from several people and finally all the onlookers filed out of the room.

"Wow…Do you have good timing." Hughes said patting Roy on the shoulder. "I though this whole place was going to collapse before you arrived."

"It should be fine. The wall isn't as damaged as it looks. I'll go and fix it now." The Colonel's voice remained even, almost dispassionate as if he was totally used to this. Maybe he was? No…that wasn't it. He was trying to make the whole ordeal smaller by now blowing it up, Ed was sure.

He watched with a strange twisted form of admiration and appreciation as Roy walked past him again toward the wall. The man pulled from his charred desk a chalk stick and began to draw an array on the blackened surface next to the window.

Ed slowly willed himself to his feet and walked sluggishly toward him, his feet dragging. He forced himself onward until he was next to him. Mustang paused mid array and blinked at him, his face one of genuine surprise.

Ed didn't look up toward him, but clapped his hands and pressed them against the wall. There was a sound like screeching birds and the wall was instantly mended.

Ed could feel his brain whizzing and his vision seem to tunnel but he remained standing.

"It's the least I could do…" he mumbled.

"I appreciate it, but are you trying to knock yourself unconscious?"

"I didn't know…that it was so hard to control." Ed looked down to his hands as Roy gave out a little titter.

"Trust me when I say for your first go it wasn't half bad. Most people would have studied it for years, never being allowed to try it, and when they did they could have killed themselves."

"…" Ed put his hand to his eyes and rubbed them, fatigue washing over him. "Sorry." He mumbled, shame filling his cheeks. He was such an idiot.

"I know." Mustang looked back toward his personal, his voice lowered, "Come with me, you look like you're about to drop."

"…?" Ed glanced up at him, and then nodded.

Roy walked, grabbing his coat from where he had thrown it across Havoc's chair, and he pulled it over his shoulders. His voice became authoritative as he ordered his Military staff.

"Put the desks back where they're meant to be, and Lt. Hawkeye please organise for me to have another one. The inner content seem to be alright so just replace everything into the new one."

"Sir."

"Also have someone come in and check that the room is safe. I don't want the roof collapsing on us, but make sure it's done subtly and without fuss, understand?"

"Yes Colonel."

"Good. I will see you all tomorrow. Hughes would you kindly inform Alphonce Elric, who is in the Military dorms, that I have borrowed his brother?"

"Sure thing." Hughes smiled knowingly as Mustang swept out of the doorway, Ed following closely behind.

-

"Sit down."

Mustang watched as Ed slowly took a seat on his arm chair. His eyes were still slightly wide, and his movement was sluggish. The man wasn't surprised; the technique really took it out of you.

"I'll get you a drink, wait here." He moved toward his kitchen but Ed's voice interrupted him.

"Why aren't you angry?"

"…" he turned back. "Fullmetal-"

"-I stole your glove, used it without your permission, nearly destroyed your office so why? Why aren't you angry!?" Ed demanded, his eyes wide, "I could have killed everyone! I could have-"

"-Yes Fullmetal, it was a very stupid thing to do." The Colonel snapped, and a silence issued. The man narrowed his eyes, "For your sake I decided not to yell at you in there. The last thing we needed was for it to be blown up beyond proportion."

"You should have."

"Why are you talking about!?"

"I nearly set the building on fire!!!" Ed shouted.

"But you didn't. _That_ is the difference."

"That's because you got their in time! If you hadn't….if you hadn't…"

A long pause followed, and Ed slowly put his head in his hands. Mustang gritted his teeth, and let out a long sigh. He moved back toward the boy and kneeled in front of him, taking him by both shoulders.

"You would have stopped it."

"No…I had already given up…I was powerless." Ed moaned.

"…" Roy shook his head and slowly stood. His hands moved up to his jacket and he slowly began to undo it. "Fullmetal, look."

Ed looked up just as Mustang threw his jacket to the side and slowly began to roll up the sleeve on his right arm. He bent his arm and displayed it with a small smile. It was hard to see in the light, but he was sure that the boy would spot it; the lightness of his skin, the scar that ran across from his elbow to his wrist.

Ed did spot it, and his eyes widened as Mustang slowly rolled his sleeve down and came and sat beside the boy on the sofa. He took in a deep breath and spoke.

"I learnt the flame Alchemy from Lt. Hawkeye's father you know."

"…"

"He was a brilliant Alchemist, yes, a really clever man." Roy looked down to his knees with a soft chuckle, "but not terribly kind. He was ruthless, like the flames he tried so hard to control on the technique he wanted to perfect. The day he gave me the array to try out he drew it on my hand and told me to take a match. I did that and went to try it out. Like you, I was unfamiliar with quite _how_ much the flames took to control. I had practised the theory like nobodies business and knew everything off by heart, but when it came to working with fire…" he blinked and shook his head, "when the flames grew too big I panicked, and my master did nothing. It was torturous. I thought I was going to die. I gave up hope, and then one of the flames licked out and burnt me across my arm. I was in agony, but that's when I was finally able to pull myself together, and control what I had made. The will to survive is incredible sometimes like that. I know you would have done the same. I know it."

"…So why…Why did you stop me?"

"Because I wasn't going to wait for you to be burnt first." Mustang curled his fingers into fists, "I couldn't let you. Do you understand Fullmetal? How can I be angry at my own mistake? The only thing foolish you did was try it out inside, and hell for an Alchemist such as yourself in theory it shouldn't have been a problem at all."

"…I see." Ed smiled, his eyes drooping, "that's…good to know." He closed his eyes, and then slowly teetered and dropped down to the side onto Mustang's shoulder.

The Colonel blinked in shock and smiled. He stood, shifting the boy into a lying position onto the sofa. He took his jacket and laid it over him. Ed's breathing was even, and his face was finally relaxed, no longer with the edges of panic lining it. It was a relief, and Mustang was glad. He moved to leave, and then thought better of it kneeling down instead to where the Elric was sleeping. He leaned in and whispered his confession.

"I took your hand Edward because I wished with all my might that someone had taken mine that day instead of letting me suffer. I didn't want you to feel that abandonment like me. You've dealt with enough on your own already." He rested his forehead next to where Ed lay. "I'm just sorry I didn't arrive sooner, I'm sorry."

"…Thanks…Bastard Colonel." Ed mumbled sleepily, and Roy's head shot up. Golden orbs met his own dark blue ones, and then slowly closed. The man blushed despite himself and gave out a small chuckle.

"You're welcome, Troublesome Brat."

-

**Heya! I've been asking people if they wanted me to continue this story, and if they wanted me to make it a Roy/Parental, or Roy/Ed. The feedback I've had has been great but has left me somewhat in the air as I had a bunch of people who wanted me to write both, or didn't want me to continue at all. So here's what I've decided to do;**

**This is going to continue as a One-Shot, but I am writing a sequel to it. The Sequel is called 'For Better of Worse' and I've posted the first chapter. It's a Roy/Ed and follows directly after this oneshot. **

**If you, however don't want to read that, but still want to continue with a Roy/Parental I will shortly be posted another fanfic which will be an alternative sequel set a little more in the future. It's a Roy/Parental, and there will be mentions of this Onesone later on in it, so if you're intrested watch the space! :D Thank you all very much for your contribution.**

**Please still reveiw!**


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